Russia Under Vladimir Putin: Is it Fascist?

[Frodo]

Does Putin's Russia meet your criteria as a fascist state?

[Famous Mortimer]

Oh God. Not this pointless debate again.

[Snowstalker Mk. II]

Despite my overuse of the term, fascism refers to a specific and rigid ideology with characteristics that Putin's Russia has some of, but lacks the extreme nationalism, economic protectionism, and overt repression of Marxism characteristic of fascist dictatorships; at the same time, Putin probably has less direct control over Russia than, say, Hitler had of Germany.

[Citizen Hats]

I like to characterize post-soviet Russia as a sort of neo-feudalism.  Instead of land, however, the fief is control of oil or telephones or the right to collect bribes on certain levels of business or the remaining industrial resources.  These resources are divided and redivided among the barons by the King, who while the dominant figure, still relies on their support collectively despite his ability to attack them individually

[PiMp DaDdy FitzGerald]

It is certainly a right-wing dictatorship, but it is not fascist. Fascism is a very specific ideology that really only fits a handful of historic countries. 

[Illuminati Blood Drinker]

Nope.

Oligarchial conservatism (this won't stop dumb "leftists" from wanking over how awesome Putin is because he says bad things about the U.S.).

[Citizen Hats]

Nope.

Oligarchial conservatism (this won't stop dumb "leftists" from wanking over how awesome Putin is because he says bad things about the U.S.).

Don't forget the dumb right-wingers who praise a man who himself regularly praises communist dictators

[PiMp DaDdy FitzGerald]

Nope.

Oligarchial conservatism (this won't stop dumb "leftists" from wanking over how awesome Putin is because he says bad things about the U.S.).

Don't forget the dumb right-wingers who praise a man who himself regularly praises communist dictators

Do we even have Communist dictators left who are not capitalist? I mean, even the Castros are unclenching their sphincters and letting some free enterprise.

[Peter the Lefty]

Nope.

Oligarchial conservatism (this won't stop dumb "leftists" from wanking over how awesome Putin is because he says bad things about the U.S.).

Don't forget the dumb right-wingers who praise a man who himself regularly praises communist dictators

Do we even have Communist dictators left who are not capitalist? I mean, even the Castros are unclenching their sphincters and letting some free enterprise.

[Indy Texas]

I like to characterize post-soviet Russia as a sort of neo-feudalism.  Instead of land, however, the fief is control of oil or telephones or the right to collect bribes on certain levels of business or the remaining industrial resources.  These resources are divided and redivided among the barons by the King, who while the dominant figure, still relies on their support collectively despite his ability to attack them individually

I think Putin's rule is reminiscent of that of Alexander III. Both men replaced more moderate leaders who want rapprochement with the West (Alexander II and Yeltsin). Both want Russia's power to rest on being distinct from and in opposition to the West and see Russia's strength in lying in "the old ways." For Alexander III, this meant preserving serfdom and the rural aristocracy while keeping a firm grip on the power of the elites. For Putin, this means presiding over a highly unequal, oligarchic society, while mostly keeping the oligarchs in line with threats of taxation or confiscation of assets. And like Alexander, Putin seems to adhere to a traditionalism and social conservatism rooted in the Orthodox Church - the anti-gay, pro-natalist rhetoric and policies are indicative of this.

[TNF]

The only state in the world that could be described as fascist is probably North Korea, given that it fits all the basic identifiers of it, from strident isolationism and autarky to racialism.

[ag]

Yes, of course. Very classical at that - almost Mussolinesque.

[ag]

It is certainly a right-wing dictatorship, but it is not fascist. Fascism is a very specific ideology that really only fits a handful of historic countries. 

And how exactly is Putin's Russia not fitting it these days?

[Nhoj]

Of course it is, naturally this forum thinks otherwise.
Part of the problem seems to be that people are using Nazis as their base for what fascism is.

[Snowstalker Mk. II]

Of course it is, naturally this forum thinks otherwise.
Part of the problem seems to be that people are using Nazis as their base for what fascism is.

I'm really using Italy more than Germany.

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

I like to characterize post-soviet Russia as a sort of neo-feudalism.  Instead of land, however, the fief is control of oil or telephones or the right to collect bribes on certain levels of business or the remaining industrial resources.  These resources are divided and redivided among the barons by the King, who while the dominant figure, still relies on their support collectively despite his ability to attack them individually

I think Putin's rule is reminiscent of that of Alexander III. Both men replaced more moderate leaders who want rapprochement with the West (Alexander II and Yeltsin).

And that's about all Alexander II and Yeltsin have in common.

[Nhoj]

Of course it is, naturally this forum thinks otherwise.
Part of the problem seems to be that people are using Nazis as their base for what fascism is.

I'm really using Italy more than Germany.

You seem to think russia doesn't have economic protectionism. I would say its also fairly extreme in its nationalism. Marxism is part of the nationalist identity of Russia so that one is a bit more complicated.

[Cassius]

Despite my overuse of the term, fascism refers to a specific and rigid ideology with characteristics that Putin's Russia has some of, but lacks the extreme nationalism, economic protectionism, and overt repression of Marxism characteristic of fascist dictatorships; at the same time, Putin probably has less direct control over Russia than, say, Hitler had of Germany.

Really? I would disagree on that last particular point. Putin, for all his faults, is usually a highly competent, ruthless leader who has shown himself to have a very strong grip upon the Russian state. Hitler, on the other hand, despite being a good orator, was rather incompetent as Fuhrer, and certainly did not know what was going on a lot of the time when he was in power (in the sense that, whilst he determined broad objectives, such as the elimination of the Jews and the invasion of Russia, it was very much left up to his subordinates as to how these were put into practice).

[Meursault]

No. In many ways, Putinism runs counter to the Mussolinian spirit of authentic fascism. Do you think the Futurists who declared a race car more beautiful than the Victory of Samothrace would have much truck with the smoky, incense-filled chambers of Eastern Orthodoxy?

Putinism means conservative dictatorship. Nothing more.

[Sol]

A more interesting question: What countries since the end of WW2 would you characterize as fascist? Spain and Portugal obviously, but what else?

[Snowstalker Mk. II]

A more interesting question: What countries since the end of WW2 would you characterize as fascist? Spain and Portugal obviously, but what else?

Argentina?

[Meursault]

Neither the Estado Nuevo nor the falange were really fascist. Perhaps the Iron Cross, but 'clerico-fascism' really runs counter to the hyper-Modern tendencies of Italian fascism.

Salazar was basically a reactionary, and Franco was a junta in one person. Both did much less than either Hitler or Mussolini to alter the social composition of their countries; Robert Paxton rejects their classification as fully fascist for this very reason.

 Then again, I hate lumping in even Nazism with fascism.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Kind of ironic this is asked considering how much support and apologism for Putin there is amongst True Leftists. Of course True Leftists supporting fascists as long as they are against the US and NATO is nothing new.

[bgwah]

If you're going to use the term in the 21st century, then Vladimir Putin is one of the best examples.

[ag]

No. In many ways, Putinism runs counter to the Mussolinian spirit of authentic fascism. Do you think the Futurists who declared a race car more beautiful than the Victory of Samothrace would have much truck with the smoky, incense-filled chambers of Eastern Orthodoxy?

Putinism means conservative dictatorship. Nothing more.

He likes the motorbikes

Actually, Rusisan Orthodoxy is very peripheral for the regime. They use it: and it is fairly servile. But for the regime overall it is of a fairly secondary importance.